A walk around the island

We hadn’t run a Coochiemudlo Island trip for a while, so it was very pleasant to be back on the island, this time with a gentleman from England who had been on three of our other tours and his friend from USA.

Low tide below the red cliffs

The tide was low as we arrived, so as we neared the red cliffs the island derives its name from I was scanning the beach for soldier crabs hoping they hadn’t already finished their foraging and headed back into their burrows.

Soon they appeared as a vague shadow moving across the sand, so we hurried over for a closer look. A white ibis was also very interested, and it was at least good to see one eating something natural rather than picnic scraps

When disturbed, the crabs quickly bury themselves, then reappear a few minutes later. After feeding, they will all o so and wait for the next low tide.

Birds seen that day included the following:

Brahminy kiteStriated heronPied oyster catchersWhimbrelBush stone-curlew, subject of annual counts on the islandLaughing kookaburra, just after pouncing from above to catch an insect on the groundA pied butcherbird apparently helping to protect island residentsand an Australian pelican taking a nap near the mainland jetty

The banksias were starting to bloom, and should soon attract lots of nectar feeders

I almost expect the mangroves here to start walking like triffids

but this rather tattered eggfly found them safe enough to settle on

After a seafood lunch at Red Rock Cafe we headed back to the mainland to look for wallabies for our American guest, and found them at two locations within Redands before our final journey back to the city